More work to be done on long-delayed update to Mason County shoreline plan

SHELTON — Mason County will run out of grant funds to update its shoreline master program by June, but officials now think that review of the outdated plan could take all year.

Shoreline master programs are land use regulations designed to manage use of significant shorelines, including all marine waters, lakes greater than 20 acres and some creeks and rivers.

Counties write shoreline master programs using a framework established by the state Department of Ecology. Counties are required to review and update their SMPs every five years, but Mason County hasn’t done an update since 1988.

“This is territory the county hasn’t been in for 20 years,” said Jim Sims, chair of the county’s planning advisory committee, at a Feb. 11 workshop critique of the draft SMP. “We’re going to go back to the beginning.”

A citizen advisory group — which includes property owners and state and tribal officials — created the draft SMP after more than two years of work.

However, several members on the planning advisory committee feel that the advisory group did not adequately collect public input, and put together a draft program that still needs much review. Some county officials share that opinion.

“I’ve read through (the draft) quite a few times now, and it is still very confusing,” said Ken VanBuskirk, vice chair of the planning committee. “We had been asking for updates over the past two years to be provided to us, and that did not always happen.”

In a letter to the planning advisory committee dated last month, Eric Schallon of the Green Diamond timber company expressed concern that the citizen advisory process contained too much input from state officials.

“In some meetings, multiple employees from the same agency were attending, and I do not believe the level of participation by the state agencies was appropriate for a committee formed to collect the issues and interests of the citizens,” wrote Schallon, a member of the advisory group. “On several occasions, an inappropriate amount of time was wasted on policy squabbles.”

Consequently, Schallon continued, the proposed draft SMP was “not based on any consensus of the group.”

The planning advisory committee had intended to make recommendations to the county commissioners this spring, before an Department of Ecology grant to update the SMP runs out in June.

Ecology and local officials now agree that Mason County needs more time.

“We want Mason County to do it right,” said Tim Gates, a senior planner with DOE. “We encourage a thoughtful process that addresses local needs and the state’s priorities for promoting water dependent uses, protecting the environment and promoting public access.”

In mid-February, the county’s planning department announced it had let go of its shoreline master program manager, LaJane Schopfer, who had the position for the more than two years.

The move blindsided members of the planning advisory committee, which already has a full plate with the reviewing the draft, VanBuskirk said.

“It’s a little disconcerting as to how we should proceed,” he said.

The county commissioners must submit the SMP update to Ecology by December.

“This is really, really important stuff,” Commissioner Randy Neatherlin said. “Doing this wrong could have adverse impacts on people’s property and how they will be able to use it. On the other side, we need to be careful to meet Ecology requirements. The battle is going on.

Neatherlin said he would encourage the county to retain as much local control as it can.

“I don’t want to give up whatever we don’t have to give,” he said. “A lot of the concern from the community has been that their comments haven’t been taken under consideration. My job is to make sure these groups are heard and that this allows for protection of personal property rights.”